(CNN) - Rep. Bill Cassidy has one solution for moving legislation on the Keystone XL Pipeline through the Senate: Remove its top obstructionist.

“We must stop Harry Reid and the senators who support him from blocking the Keystone XL pipeline – blocking the jobs, the opportunity that it creates,” Cassidy said in a weekly GOP address. “It’s time to retire Harry Reid as the leader of the Senate.”Follow @PoliticalTickerFollow @sarafischer
The House voted 238-173 on Tuesday in favor of a bill that would push the pipeline forward by eliminating a requirement in which oil and gas pipelines that cross U.S. borders get a permit from the White House. The bill passed with 17 Democrats voting in favor of the measure, despite a veto threat from the White House.

A similar bill in the Senate was blocked the same day by Senate Democrats, whom Cassidy says don’t care about the economic well-being of American families.

“President Obama and his allies like Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are more interested in rolling out the red tape than the red carpet for these jobs,” Cassidy said.

“Sadly, Democrats in Washington stand with President Obama rather than standing with hard-working families in Louisiana and elsewhere. They would rather your family struggle than offend their political base.”

Reid has said that he would consider bringing a vote on the matter to the Senate floor so long as Republicans would allow a vote on a bipartisan energy efficiency bill.

In his address, Cassidy cites the State Department in saying that the pipeline would cause negligible harm to the environment and even saves lives, as there are fewer accidents shipping oil by pipeline as opposed to rail or truck.

He also argues that jobs created by the construction of the pipeline would provide Americans with the opportunity to pursue their dreams

“You have your own dreams. There are common sense solutions to provide you opportunity,” Cassidy said. “One is the Keystone XL Pipeline.”

soundoff(272 Responses)

I appreciate these articles because they expose the truth about what is really going on in Washington. The eyes of the American people are slowly being opened. Get out and vote this November.

June 29, 2014 09:15 am at 9:15 am |

Mikeed13

Let him stay. He is causing the demise of the Socialist Gimmecratic party. The American people are going to rise up and say no more to him and Michael Jackson's monkey

June 29, 2014 09:19 am at 9:19 am |

J.Stiles

There's only one avenue for removing Reid....fervent prayer; nobody else in the whole government will help. Reid could murder a priest and rape a nun and he'd still retain his lofty perch in the democratic party. But if enough people pray for that willful heathen...it will be like pouring hot coals of fire on his head! Suffice it to say, it will call the attention of the most high onto Reid and his dirty deeds. That's what I'm doing!

June 29, 2014 09:20 am at 9:20 am |

Lizzie

Norma Vessels, you have NO idea how many pipelines crisscross the USA, or do you believe natural gas is delievered in trucks.

June 29, 2014 09:48 am at 9:48 am |

Judith Stone

Notice how it's always "don't worry it will cause negligible harm to the environment," but they forget to add, "until it doesn't."
They said this about offshore deep well drilling but in reality we got the worst spill in our history. They said the same exact words about fracking, mining,unfortunately, I could go on and on! Good for Harry Reid and his supporters. They are our children's only defense against another fool's errand by giant corporations. The earth is sick and tired of us, we must start behaving as if we'd like to remain on the planet instead of causing oursleves to become extinct for the sake of job creation and economic b.s. that never truly adds up.
We have to decide to say enough is enough to the job creation rhetoric and speak for our grandchildren's future now. Take care of the planet, it's more important than jobs.

June 29, 2014 09:50 am at 9:50 am |

They ought to change from the elephant to the hippo...

Want to make decisions? Try WINNING an ELECTION! THEN you get to decide. As it is now, the HOUSE doesn't do ANYTHING, so this LA clown should worry about his own backyard FIRST!

June 29, 2014 09:52 am at 9:52 am |

Liz the First

Reid is trying to save the planet from these morons who can't see past a dollar bill. How about removing all republicans from the senate and house and get the country moving forward. please, voters, stop voting for stupid, greedy people. The keystone pipeline will not produce an abundance of good, permanent jobs. it will, however, contribute greatly to climate change and the growing misery of humanity on an increasingly sick planet, to say nothing of being a prime terrorist target. if you think 9/11 was bad, just think about a whole aquifer that supplies drinking water to millions poisoned indefinitely by a spill of this filth.

June 29, 2014 09:57 am at 9:57 am |

They ought to change from the elephant to the hippo...

Another Republican throwing a tantrum because he doesn't get his way. And plenty on this board want to fall all over themselves joining him. What a bunch of crybabies!

June 29, 2014 09:58 am at 9:58 am |

William

Yeah, but there is another blockage up the road. I believe it's called the President.

June 29, 2014 10:03 am at 10:03 am |

Richard

Republicans are only looking out for their own self interests under the guise of helping America. They have been promising jobs for years and failed to deliver since they were only interested in stopping Obama from succeeding.
All they have ever cared about is tax cuts, not jobs.

June 29, 2014 10:10 am at 10:10 am |

jesus f. christ

How about a deal? We allow the pipeline to be built immediately with one compromise. If more than 100 gallons of oil spills for any reason, the operating owner removes entire line at own expense and restores all affected ground to original condition. And no whining about the cost.

June 29, 2014 10:13 am at 10:13 am |

Ken

Boy, do I dislike that guy reid, he sounds like a girl or should I say OLD WOMAN!

June 29, 2014 10:16 am at 10:16 am |

Hector Slagg

Harry Reid is trying to save the last bastions of Liberalisim. You can fool some of the people all of the time and you can fool all of the people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. The winds of change are blowing strong. The Liberals have sold you a bill of goods the last 100 years. Just trust us and we will take care of you. So where is the rewards???

June 29, 2014 10:17 am at 10:17 am |

They ought to change from the elephant to the hippo...

Let's play a game, shall we? What compromise have the Republican offered on this or any other piece of legislation, or topic recently? What SINGLE piece of legislation have they put out there to move the COUNTRY forward has there been, that wasn't laden by some poison pill?

June 29, 2014 10:31 am at 10:31 am |

Anonymous

Do a little research ppl, with oil refinery capacity already close to 100%. the addition of poor quality tar sand oil refinement will delayt refinement of our oil for gasoline, leading to higher gas prices for us. No matter how u feel about Harry Reid, the real story here is do u want to pay much higher prices for gasoline or not. If you like higher gas prices then by all means support the Keystone Pipeline project.

June 29, 2014 10:43 am at 10:43 am |

The Real Tom Paine

Hector, since when have Conservatives really given a damn about the average person? Everything they have done has been designed to keep this country at a standstill. Middle-class income has stagnated for over 2 generations, which coincides with the dominance of conservatives on the political scene. Plain and simple, they don't want innovation, they don't want change and they sure as hell don't want anyone to be able to organize and fight back against their heroes. Its amazing that people can come on here, day after day, spouting nonsense about 100 years of liberalism when they know better. The rewards you are asking about, among other things, are your weekend, the highways you drive on, and the internet you daily post your babbling nonsense on, just to name a few. So what is the great conservative alternative? Returning to the 1890s, when we had an even bigger gap between rich and poor, and our society was even more bitterly divided among racial and ethnic lines than it is now.What is contained in the " winds of change" you say are coming? Specifics on what you would do, if you can bother providing them, Gundy.

Conservatives give away to much to Big Oil when making deals...This new oil supply should become a banaza to the consuming public not just profiteers... And congress should ensure that!!!!

June 29, 2014 10:51 am at 10:51 am |

Stephen Mulcare

Harry Reid is truly the "Ugly Ameriican" who would destroy this country to push his agenda.

June 29, 2014 10:56 am at 10:56 am |

iowajohn

Hey politicians – we don't WANT the pipeline. Get that through your thick heads.

June 29, 2014 11:02 am at 11:02 am |

Thomas

Rep. Bill Cassidy is a tool for Big Oil , he and Governor Piyush "Bobby" Jindal receive more campaign money from energy companies and continue to obstruct any environmental policy .

Do you want clean drinking water , or do you want polluted water ?

June 29, 2014 11:02 am at 11:02 am |

Anonymous

See I am a part of the gop and i don't want the pipe line..................

June 29, 2014 11:08 am at 11:08 am |

Chet Heath

The oil is being transported now by means (rail and truck) more likely to cause spills than pipelines. The majority is transported by the Burlington Northern Route (BNSF) – owned by Warren Buffett at $30 a barrel . Projected cost for the Keystone pipeline is $10 a barrel. So this is really all about money and keeping a Billionaire rich art the expense of the environment – should a spill occur.

reid has been a complete failure for the American people. He needs to go. He won't even allow simple up or down votes on common sense issues! he should be ashamed...

June 29, 2014 11:11 am at 11:11 am |

garydog

All the big mouths that want the pipeline show the rest of americans how much of this oil will stay in the united states to help with our gas prices. How much will go to china and fill will the pockets of big oil. You all want th epipeline because big oils ays so. They don't care about pollution. Look as the state of piyush jindal. Bp spilled and is out blowing hiow much they have spent to clean up their mess. Now they want some of their money back . Call the kettle black and jindal is all for that. he don't care about his state. just how much will they put in his pockets .